Action Needed: Stand Up for Elk and Sportsmen in NV

The Humboldt County Management Sub-Plan is nearing completion, and elk numbers proposed by ranching interests are pitifully low. Ranchers are essentially demanding that few, if any, elk be allowed west of US 95. Population objectives of zero in the Jacksons, no more than fifty (50) in the Pine Forest, and 0-10 in the Montanas and Bilk Creeks are being demanded. You couldn’t find fifty (50) elk with a helicopter in the Pine Forest; what kind of hunting success can we expect. Here are a few talking points:

Sportsmen fund compensation for damage from elk on cultivated fields.

Landowner incentive tags are issued when elk live on private range land.

Elk and ranching can co-exist with few if any conflicts as documented by the very contentious Central Nevada Elk Plan.

There are approximately 65,000 domestic cattle on our public land in Humboldt County.

While there are probably a hundred or so ranching interests in Humboldt County, there are 200,000 sportsmen in this state.

Elk are so light on the land that forage utilization is often impossible to measure.

Over 90% of forage utilization on public land is by domestic livestock.

Multiple use management of our public lands mandates the needs of wildlife be considered.